MEETING OF FRUITGROWERS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXXV, Issue 170, 29 July 1901, Page 2

MEETING OF FRUITGROWERS.

THE NEW AS OCIA.TION. The adjourned meeting of fruitgrowers held at the Council Chamber on Saturday evening was well attended. Mr W. A. Lightband (Bright water) occupied the chair. The principal business of the evening was the consideration of tbe report of the Committee appointed at the previous meeting. The resolutions carried by the Committee were as follows : - That the object of the Union be to protect and further the interests of the fruit-growers ' of the Nelson Provincial District ; that agents for the sale of Nelson fruit be secured in Nelson, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, and such other places as may be thought desirable ; that such agents be instructed to sell privately as far as possible, avoiding auctioning except as a last resort ; that it being one of the aims of the Union to bring the producer ar d consumer into closer touch, our agents be instructed to display the fruit to the best advantage, and in such centrally-situated places as circumstances will permit, so that it can be seen by the greatest number of the general public ; that an arrangement be made with a firm to open a depot in NelsoD, such depot to be a fruit store, where, in addition, all orchardists' requirements could bo obtained, such as implements, insecticides, fungicides, manures, etc. ; also to be a medium of obtaining daily information of the state of the market in regard to price and volume of fruit on hand or arriving, country members to receive the same information through one of their number at each centre ; and also, if desired, to be a receiving depot when only small quantities of fruit are available at one time : that in order to protect the members of the Union it will be necessary to have a Union brand ; that tho consideration of the Union be given to questions such as the disposal of surplus fruit by canning, pulping, or otherwise, selection of trees, size of cases, gathering of information of inte. est to fruitgrowers, and the establishment of a Government experimental station in the Nelson district, etc. In addition (o placing before the meeting the resolutions carried the Committee made the following statement : - •• So far as can be ascertained there seems complete unanimity of feeling that the present system of selling fruit by auction is not advantageous to the growers, anl that a change in the direction of effecting private sales should be instituted. '. he Committee do not consider it necessary to refer to the many drawbacks the auction room has, further lhan to remark how completely growers aro in th.o hands of auctioneers after the fruit has been shippel. But they wish to say that in their opinion^a workable scheuie can be arranged if the growers ot the district ■will co-operate and show a disposition to work together for the common good. I'he Committee suggest the appointment of agents in the various centres to which our fruit is sent, who will undertake to dispose of it by private sale. The fruit requires to be displayed in centrallysituated places wheie it can be seen and purchased by the general public. The price should be fixed, if possible, say for the day, and all fruit sold would thus bring the same price (of course, according to grade), which wo ula be far more satisfactory to growers than the present variable prices of the auction room. In this way the long-standing grievance of growers that the consumer pays too mugh for fruit compared with the price the Sroduoer receives for it would be remeied — the middleman would be got rid of to a great extent, and the producer and consumer brought directly into touch with each other, with mutual benefit. In connection with a Nelson depot it might be pointed out how useful such a place could be made to growers. Rooms could be secured for the members of the Union. " It is understood that the Government intends to distribute models of all tho fruits grown in the colony. No doubt our Union will be supplied with a collection which will need „o lie displayed in a room where growers can compare them with their own samples, ascertain the standi ttrd they must aim at, or see that their fruit is rightly naufed. Small shows might be held at intervals ; these could be held at the depot. Then all implements should be stocked, special terms to be arranged for members of the Union ; pumps to be kept and their working explained ; also insecticides and fungicides, obtainable in large or small quantities, ready made up if desired. Artificial manures to be a prominent article at the depot. As it is now, many growers do not use the special man ures on account of the difficulty of obtaining small supplies. It doesn't pay to send away for a 2c wfc. lot of strawberry, tomato, or any other special manure ; but if these could bo obtained at the depot in small lots at reasonable prices it would be a boon. An arrangement might be made to have the manures mixed according to the Government formulae. Ihe question of disposing of our fruit in other ways than by soiling it fresh is one that could be profitably discussed by tho members of the Union. In fact, to us, as commercial growers, in the near future, the canning and pulping of fruit will become matters of the doepest importance, and to doal with them will require the concertod action of growers. " To be prepare <1 for this time, then, we want a real live Union, which will keep in touch with all that is going on in the great fruit-growing countries. AVe want to know what is being done in England, California, United States, Australia,' etc., and the latest methods in use in those countries in dealing with fruit. It may also be remarked that a Union with a strong membership would be in a posilion to approach the Eailway Department, Harbour Board, or shipping companies with a better chance of getting their wants attended to or their°griev" ances Remedied than individual efforts would have. With reference to a Government experimental station, there is good reason to believe that when the growers of this district show that they are deeply interested in the fruit industry displaying enthusiasm in connection therewith, and are anxious to plant such varieties as will be of the highest commercial value in the future— when this is evidenced by tho existence of a Union, with a strong membership such a station will be established. The matter is in the hands of the growers. Are we to let the opportunity pass of having such an object-lesso^ as an experimental station will be because we are apathetic 'i " The discussion on the Committee's report lasted almost tho whole of t he even- I ing and the report was finally adopted with slight amendments and additions ! Correspondence was read from three firms applying for the position of agents for the Union. Two of them were Wellington farms and one a Wanganui firm. Ihe Committee was instructed to meet | tho representatives of the Wellington I Ti 8 a n dlBeuss th e matter with them. I The Committee was empowered to add to its number for tho purpose of dis- ' cussing with the Wellington representatives the details of a schemo for carrying out the objects of the Union. It was resolved that tho annual subscription to the Union be 2s 6d. In answer to questions it was stated by 3> member that a membership of 21)0 could be secured in a shopt tiiu&. After arranging to have interviews during the present week, and a full Committee meeting yn Saturday nest, the meeting ended,